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Friday, August 24, 2012

Books in Korean Market

President and Louis Vuitton

Hwang Sang-min; Deulnyeok Publishing: 368 pp., 15,000 wonWhy are Koreans
so crazy about designer handbags and other luxury goods? Why do they
pay more for a cup of take-out coffee from a major chain than they do
for their lunch? Why do they keep buying lottery tickets even though
it’s highly unlikely they will hit the jackpot?

The author, a well-known psychologist, attempts to explain to readers
the reasons behind the hard-to-understand consumer behavior. He analyzes
and describes the psychology of the consumer from their point of view
and not that of the vendor.

Hwang — a star professor who has actively expressed his opinions on
social, political and economic issues via various media — says people
buy luxury items and large-size sedans as status symbols to show off.

As American author Barbara Kruger said: “I shop therefore I am,” people
are defined by what they buy and own these days. They want to show off
their social standing with their expensive belongings.

This is because they are empty inside, writes Hwang. He said consumers
should have their values in order not to become a slave to consumption.

—CHO JAE-HYUN

The 11th Endeavor
The First Astronaut in Korea, Lee So-yeon’s Full Story

Lee So-yeon; frombooks: 248 pp., 13,000 won

Engineer Lee So-yeon, 34, became Korea’s first astronaut in April 2008,
on board a Russian-made Soyuz spaceship that successfully went into
outer space. She conducted a 10-day mission on the International Space
Station which was broadcast in real-time.

The scientist talks about her full life story — including her family and
friends who have always supported her, her student life and past
experiences. She says in her book that people should try a variety of
things to discover what they are actually good at and believe that what
people do matters more than where they are. The engineer is not afraid
of failure thanks to her parents who let her try different things to
gain experience when she was young. She now thinks that failure is like a
vaccine that helps people become successful.

Born in 1978, Lee earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical
engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST) in Daejon in 2001 and 2002 respectively. In 2005, she received a
doctorate in biological science also at KAIST.

—RACHEL LEE

Who makes the rules in the modern world?

Jeon Sung-won; Inmulgwa Sasang Publishing: 536 pp., 18,000 won

Contemporary man buys coke from a supermarket and watches movies or
works out at the gym without giving such behavior much thought. This
novel titled with a question, “Who makes the rules in the modern world?”
begins by asking who created such an ordinary agenda. It unravels the
history of culture and art in the 20th century through people’s
behavior.

Jeon Sung-won, editor-in-chief of the quarterly magazine Hwanghae
Munhwa, wrote a series of columns on the people who set up the
foundation for the modern world for the monthly “Inmulgwa Sasang,” which
means person and thoughts. The columns have been published as a book.

As a man who is full of knowledge on miscellaneous matters, Jeon talks
about how geniuses changed human life from Henry Ford, the developer of
the assembly line, and Sam Walton, who established the retail store
chain Wal-Mart, to Akio Morita, the inventor of the Walkman, and Martha
Stewart, who sells the fantasy of a happy home.

The author focuses on their impact on modern day life, instead of harping on about their individual achievements.

— KWON MEE-YOO

365-Day Classical Music Tour in Europe: From the Concertgebouw to the Bayreuth festival

Kim Sung-hyung: Art Books: 407 pp., 20,000 won

This is an introduction to some of the most exciting classical music
festivals in Europe. The author, who writes for the Chosun Ilbo, spent a
year touring around 21 European cities and 42 concert venues. He has
previously translated books on renowned classical musicians like
pianist-turned conductor Daniel Barenboim and Simon Rattle, the music
director of the Berlin Philharmonic. It is a useful guide for many local
classical music lovers wishing to get a glimpse of Europe’s classical
music festivals.